Special effects projectile



May 1, 1962 D. METZGEI'Q 3,031,966

SPECIAL EFFECTS PROJECTILE I Filed Sept. 25, 1958 Fig.4 34

Daniel Me/zger M4052. BY ym a; 5%

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,031,966 SPECIAL EFFECTS PROJECTILE DanielMetzger, Los Angeles, Calif. (958 Calla Santa Cruz, Palm Springs,Calif.) Filed Sept. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 762,754 1 Claim. (Cl. 102-41) Thepresent invention generally relates to a projectile for fire arms andmore particularly to such a projectile which may be used in any caliberof gun, pistol, rifle, air gun, shotgun, machine gun or any other typeof gun and has for its purpose the provision of some special effect.

In the movie industry as Well as in television, there is a desire forrealism. One problem that has long existed is the problem of obtainingrealism in scenes where gun shooting occurs. Of course, the use of blankcartridges provides the desirable noise but does not provide any resultswhich actually simulate the projectile or bullet engaging or strikingthe object whether it be a glass window, mirror, a piece of wood or aperson. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention toprovide a special effects projectile which will produce differentefiiects depending upon the variation ofthe particular materials used inconstructing the projectiles so that various types of effects may beobtained.

The presentinvention incorporates in ltS-COIISIILIICIIOH a capsulepreferably made of wax but which can be made of other materials such asfoam rubber. This capsule is inserted into a cartridge case or projectedin any suitable manner and when the capsule strikes, the color substanceor other material contained in the capsule will create an effectsimulating bullet holes, blood from bullet holes, simulated hole inglass pane with splinters from the hole, create dust-or any other effectdesired with the capsule being capable of use in any type of gun due tothe insertion of the capsule into any desired size cartridge or into anygun. While the present device can be employed with many differenteffects, there are four types illustrated including blood, splinteredglass'or hole in the same, dust and letters and numbers projected by theprojectile.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of aspecially fixed projectile which is safe in operation although they arenot entirely harmless. The projectiles cannot actually kill any one butif a person were hit on the bare skin, they would undoubtedly be stunnedalthough it would not break the skin. Thus, the special effectsprojectiles are no more harmful than many toys that are in the hands ofchildren. Therefore, with reasonable care and skill employed, thespecial effects projectile of the present invention is entirely safe andprovvides a highly novel arrangement which closely simulates the actualeffect produced by a real projectile without the damage occurring thatwould be caused by a real projectile.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a specialefiects projectile which is simple in construction,

easy to use with any type of gun, adapted for use in producing varioustypes of effects and extremely inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the special effects projectile of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the projectile per se with a portionthereof broken away illustrating the constrgction of the projectilebefore it is disposed in the cartri ge;

FIGURE ,4 is a sectional view of a modified form of projectile disposedin a cartridge;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of another form of the projectile of thepresent invention showing its relationship to the cartridge;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of another form of projectile illustrating aletter thereon;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passingalong section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 illustrating the projectile in FIGURE6 and its relationship to the cartridge; and

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation with parts broken away showing a capsule offoam rubber which may be employed in lieu of the wax capsule in FIGURES17.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates a cartridge case for receiving the special effects projectile12 of the present invention. The cartridge case 10 is of more or lessconventional construction and includes a cylindrical casing 12-having abase 14 and a peripheral groove 16 and a bore 18 for receiving the usualfiring cap 20. -It is pointed out that the cartridge illustrated isrepresentative and any type of cartridge may be employed, that is, a rimfire type as well as center fire type may be employed and the device maybe employed in any caliber or length cartridge and may be employed inshot gun shells or the like. The casing 12 is provided with an internalrib 22 centrally thereof for holding the projectile 12 in position untilsuch time as the 7 same is projected outwardly therefrom.

The projectile 12 is in the form of a wax capsule 24 which is in theform of a cylindrical member and in FIG- URES l-3 has a hollow interior26 forming a container for red liquid 28 which will give the effect of abullet hole plus bleeding. On the end of the capsule 24 is wadding 30with the thickness of the wadding 30 determining to some extent theeffect provided by the capsule. Similar wadding'32 may be provided onthe inner end of the capsule 24. Thus, the wadding 30 along with theconstruction of the capsule 24 will, when projected, upon striking of asurface, leave an appearance simulating a bullet hole with bleedingresulting therefrom which, of course, would be extremely effective whenin color. In this construction the wall thickness is relatively heavy.If the wall thickness is made light er, the effect would be the effectof a bullet hole in glass with the liquid giving the shatter effect suchas would occur if a bullet was projected through a car window or mirror.Different color liquids may be provided for carrying out differenteffects similar to this.

The device in FIGURE 4 can also be used to produce the effect of abullet passing through glass or a mirror and showing splinters andincludes a wax capsule 34 and a one-eighth inch liquid substance orgelatin 36 on the forward end thereof which performs the effect of around hole with the bullet having passed through the glass.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a cartridge 38 having a hollow area 40 thereinwhich is filled with powder 42 contained within a retainer 44 which maybe of wax material or any other suitable material which will dischargethe powder 42 when the projectile or capsule 38 engages the surface thuscreating the effect of a bullet hitting the ground or other area fromwhich dust would be expected.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a capsule 46 having on the outer end surfacethereof a letter 48 embedded therein with the letter 48 beingconstructed of rubber so that the letter may be inked just prior toshooting thereby making a printed letter on the surface of the target ormaking a number or whatever the shape of the embedded indicia 48.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a modified form of capsule which is in the form ofa hollow cylindrical member of foam rubber designated by the numeral 50and having an open end 52 providing access to the central bore thereinand provided with a tapered rear end 54 which is particularly adaptedfor various types of cartridges including shot gun cartridges and may beused in place of the wax capsule in any caliber gun. The foam rubbercapsule and a foam rubber cap therefor would be less likely to causeinjury and would provide diiferent special effects from the wax capsuleillustrated in the other forms of the invention. In addition to thosedisclosed, other special effects projectiles have been providedincluding a device to simulate a real bullet having the tip end thereofprotruding from the metal and which can be photographed from closecamera range for simulating the nose of a bullet projecting from anobject. Letters may also be formed by providing a cardboard stencil onthe end of the projectile with the stencil opening being in the form ofa letter, number or the like and being filled with a greasy or othersubstance which will print the letter or number on the surface contactedby the projectile when it is fired and engages the surface. It is notedthat the liquid 28 in FIGURE 2 does not completely fill the hollowinterior 26 so that this will produce the efiect of a man hit with thebullet with blood appearing upon the clothing of the person shot and canalso be used to create various designs when projected onto a fiatsurface other than human beings. Variation in the amount of liquid orthe color of liquid used or the powder or other substance employed inthe device will produce different effects. Also, the thickness andtoughness of the wax will vary the effect produced with the eifect alsobeing determined by distance, skill and knowledge of the personprojecting the missile. For instance, a person skilled in the use of thedevice may tear the shirt of a victim depending upon the weight of thecapsule and still not hurt the skin or injure the person shot at.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resirted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination with a firearm cartridge case having a firing cap in oneend thereof, a special effects projectile comprising a capsulecompletely filling the normal powder and conventional bullet typeprojectile receiving area of the cartridge case, said capsule beingprojected by said firing cap and constructed of material incapable ofdamaging a target by penetration when projected by the firing cap, andmeans incorporated into the capsule for simulating the effect of anactual bullet type projectile on the target when the capsule isprojected into engagement with the target by the firing cap, said meansincluding an indicia forming member embedded in the outer end of thecapsule and constructed of resilient material with the indicia formingmember being inked immediately before projecting thereby forming indiciaon the target.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,517,554 Fulcher Dec. 2, 1924 1,671,364 Gangnes May 29, 1928 1,750,101Goss Mar. 11, 1930 2,826,859 Shaffer Mar. 18, 1958 2,851,991 inck Sept.16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,166 Great Britain 1888 399,118 France Apr. 9,1909 5,204 Great Britain 1912 535,108 Great Britain Mar. 28, 1941

